Sunday Worship Service April 6, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Luke 2:14
Hymn JBC #227 Up Calv’ry’s mountain
The Lord’s Prayer
The Prayer Time
Hymn JBC # 230 On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
Offering
Scripture Psalms 21:13 (NIV)
Prayer
Sermon “The Glory be to the Lord God”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 213 Tell me the story of Jesus
Doxology JBC # 674
Benediction
Postlude
Welcome & Announcements
We thank God for the blessing of being able to offer this first Sunday service of the new fiscal year (2025) that begins in April.
Today's scripture is from Psalm 21:14 (verse 13 in the English NIV).
Be exalted in your strength, Lord;
we will sing and praise your might.
This verse has been chosen by our church as our annual scripture for the current year (2025). And the annual theme chosen with this verse is "All for the glory of the Lord God.”
We hope to experience the significance of this scripture and theme given to us through our prayers and discussions.
To glorify God, to praise and glorify the name of the One who is our Lord, is the very purpose of the believer's life.
We are the ones who live our lives worshipping something. Something in ourselves becomes the most important thing, the purpose of our life, and we live seeking (praising) it.
Various things become the object of our worship/praise. Many things can be the purpose of our daily lives.
It can be the possession of more things, or social status, or money, success, or how much ability or talent we have.
But the Bible says, “Let the Lord be praised,” and “Let us live praising the Lord our God.”
Jesus Christ taught His disciples the words of the prayer.
When Jesus' disciples asked Him to “teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1), He taught them the words of prayer.
The words of the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples at that time became the basis for the Lord's Prayer, which we pray in worship services today.
The first words of the Lord's Prayer are
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed (*to be made holy) be thy name.
The first words of the Lord's Prayer affirm that the One who is in heaven, the One who made everything in the world, is our Father (God).
”Father" does not mean that God is male. God is the One who transcends human gender.
The words of the Lord's Prayer follow, "hallowed (made holy) be the name of God the Father.”
Jesus first taught his disciples that the first words of the prayer should be, "hallowed be the name of God and sanctified be the name of the Father.”
This is an urge to "recognize how special it is that God's name is given to us, and let us praise him [God].”
Words must be accompanied by substance (facts). It is possible for a believer in Jesus Christ to say the Lord's Prayer without praising God (without sanctifying Him) and with himself sitting in the center of his being.
Nevertheless, the words of prayer that Jesus taught us, the words of our prayer based on the Scriptures, are very important in shaping our faith.
We may say, “Hallowed be the name of the Lord,” or “Let us praise Him,” but deep down inside, we may still be our own king and master.
However, with such sins (sins that do not make God our Lord, but make ourselves or something else God), we should live our lives of faith always hoping that the words “Praise be to the Lord” will become our true words of prayer.
In Psalm 21:14 (NIV 21:13), we are told that the Lord God is powerful, "Be exalted in your strength, Lord.”
How does our Lord God express His power?
We are now in the time of the Passion (Lent) when we especially remember that Jesus Christ walked the road to the cross Himself, to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
Jesus did many mighty works while living and evangelizing in the land of the Jews. He healed the sick and cast out demons from those who were possessed by them.
Jesus even calmed storms. These are also powerful works that Jesus demonstrated.
But the ultimate powerful work that Jesus Christ showed us was His sacrificial work in which He bore the sins of all men and offered Himself, who was completely sinless, on the cross.
At the end of His life, Jesus said no more, but simply bore the cross in silence and was led to the place where He was to be executed.
The Lord Jesus Christ on the cross is a figure that is totally in conflict with the image of “strength” that we usually think of.
But when we lower ourselves and look up to the Lord Jesus Christ of the Cross with the eyes of faith, we see the true power of God in Him.
It is on the cross that the work of the ultimate power of Jesus Christ, who overcame all the powers of evil and death, was conducted.
On the cross, Jesus Christ bears our sins, our weaknesses, our shortcomings, and everything else.
Therefore, as forgiven sinners, we are led to a life of worship of the Lord God with great joy. We are invited to rejoice in God and praise Him.
The Bible tells us that "no man is righteous or justified before God on his own.” It tells us that we are all sinners, lacking and weak.
Still such us, we are given the grace to gather in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to praise and worship Him.
In this respect, we can say that the Christian church has truly received a special treasure.
Let us rejoice together that we have such a treasure, the grace to be able to praise the Lord.
Psalm 21 is considered to be a continuation of the previous Psalm 20. In Psalm 20, it is prayed that the king should achieve the victory in battle.
In Psalm 21, people praise God in thanksgiving for the fulfillment of their prayers and wishes for the king’s victory.
Psalm 20:7 (verse 6 NIV) reads, “The LORD gives victory to his anointed,” and Psalm 20:10 (verse 9 NIV) reads, "LORD, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call.”
Thus, while the psalmist wishes for the king's victory, it is the Lord God who gives that victory to the king.
In verse 8 of Book 20 (20:7 NIV) we read
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
It is not by the king's own strength or the strength of his chariots and horses that he can win. It is the Lord our God who gives the victory," he confesses here.
And in verse 2 of Book 21 (v. 1 NIV), we read.
The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.
How great is his joy in the victories you give!
In verse 8 of Book 21 (21:7 NIV) we read. The king depends on the Lord.
For the king trusts in the Lord;
through the unfailing love of the Most High
he will not be shaken.
Our Lord God is the One on whom we can always count on. Our Lord God is the one who gives us love and mercy.
And when our king is granted victory, the source of that victory (success) is the Lord God, and the words of the psalmist express his desire that "the king will not be puffed up with victory, but will always praise the Lord God.”
It also expresses the desire that all men, kings and people alike, may humble themselves before the Lord God and worship Him alone, not themselves or their kings.
It is the desire of their faith that they may not take the glory of their victory (success) for themselves, but may return the glory of their victory to the Lord God.
We, too, wish to cherish the faith of those who have been protected and given victory by the Lord's mighty works, so that they may return all glory to the Lord God, without boasting of ourselves and attributing glory to ourselves.
And today's scripture, and our yearly scripture for this year, continues by saying, "In praise of mighty works, we will sing and praise your might.
It is shown from here that being encouraged by the work of God's love, we will be given songs of praise to the Lord.
Usually, the hymn after the worship message is called the "hymn of response”. It directly means a response to God's message (grace) that was spoken that day.
However, today's scripture teaches us that all our praises are “response” in the sense that they are a response to God's great work that has already been accomplished for us.
Songs of praise to God do not come from within ourselves.
God's works of power and love come first, and only as a response of thanksgiving can we offer songs of praise.
Let us rejoice that the name of the true God has been given to us, the name of the One whom we praise and honor with all our hearts.
And let us always humble ourselves before the Lord, asking that the mighty works of God, the works of love and mercy, the pure joy that our sins have been forgiven by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, may motivate us to praise.
Let us live our life of faith together in the new year, hoping that everything we say and do will be a thanksgiving to the Lord God and a return of glory to Him.
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Sunday Worship Service March 30, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Isaiah 55:3
Hymn JBC#21 Worthy of worship
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 388 Lord, lay some soul upon my heart
Offering
Scripture Revelation 22:16～21
Prayer
Sermon “Come, Lord Jesus”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 301 Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
Doxology JBC# 673
Benediction
Postlude
Today, we have come to the last Sunday worship service of the 2024 fiscal year. (Generally speaking, the new fiscal year in Japan begins from April)
Let us sincerely be grateful to God that our church has worshipped, that our life of faith has been protected under His grace this year as well.
Along with the annual theme [Stand on the Word of the Lord] this year, our church has kept its walk of faith.
It might sound like to [Stand on the Word of the Lord] seems like “to do our best to keep on standing on God’s Word of the bible on our own feet by our own will and effort”.
Certainly, the point that we ourselves should strive is undeniable even in our life of faith.
However, to [stand on the Word of the Lord] is primarily to confirm the solid foundation which is “the Word of the Lord (God)” that is already given to us, rather than us trying an effort.
And it is a grace that, to stand firm on that absolute Word of the Lord, we can receive unwavering peace of mind on that foundation.
That Word of the Lord, which is the absolute foundation that we can always rely on throughout our life, is already given to us.
By always listening to the “Word of the Lord” that guides our journey, having His Word as a guideline to conduct our life, we can walk the certain way of faith, even if it’s slow (and even if at times we tend to lose our way)
The Word of the bible is God’s Word, and it gives us spiritual encouragement and strength.
Just by oral reading the Word of the bible and even just heard simultaneously by many people,
it’s quite possible that that Word resonates very uniquely.
Jesus said [For where two or three are gathered in My Name, I Am there amidst them] (Matthew 18:20)
If even two or three believers that believe Jesus Christ gather, and there the Word which is God’s Word is shared, the Spirit of Jesus that was promised to be with us turns the Word of God into something special.
Let us believe the promise of Jesus that said He will be with us where we gather in His name.
Let us at always stand on God’s Word, be sustained and guided, share His Word together, move towards the direction His Word reveals and walk together even from now on.
This fiscal year, we have shared with each other over the course of a year the entire bible from the beginning of the Old Testament in the worship service sermon.
Of course, the scriptures that we could take in the worship service message was just a portion of the entire bible.
However, I believe we have confirmed that [both the New and Old Testament testifies of Jesus Christ], and [The Bible is absolutely God’s message]
We hear [the Gospel of Jesus Christ (the Good News)] from the entire bible.
Today’s scripture, the last Sunday of this fiscal year is the last portion, chap. 22:16～21 of [Revelation] which is the very last book of the Bible.
“Revelation” means “what is concealed will be revealed”, that is, “God’s truth will be revealed”.
Why can we human beings come to know about God? We cannot reach God nor gain knowledge to know Him from the human side.
And yet, why can we come to know God?
It’s because God Himself has revealed Himself to us through Jesus Christ. It’s because God became human being and lived with people in this world.
Jesus was crucified, died and resurrected. After that, Jesus promised [I will come again] and ascended to heaven.
To this day, Jesus is not visible, but we can hear and share His message through the words of the Bible.
We can know who Jesus Christ is through the Bible.
Today’s verse 16 is written as follows.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
Jesus calls Himself [the Root of David (branch, meaning descendant)]. David is the name of a king of Israel that appears in the Old Testament.
To the Israelites, King David is a character that may well be said to be a historical as well as a hero of faith.
And in accordance with the prophetic words of the Bible (Old Testament), the Israelites believed that “in due time, their own Savior (the Messiah) will be born from the descendants of David”.
And exactly, Jesus was born into this world with Joseph of the House of David as his father.
Jesus calls Himself [the bright Morning Star]. Morning star refers to the bright Venus in the East at dawn.
Jesus calls Himself here [the Morning Star], meaning hope that “After the night, morning will surely come. That means, new morning comes along with the star (morning star) of Jesus Christ” as well.
Venus is not visible from the earth at night due to positional relationship. Although unseen, however, of course Venus exists. Similarly, though not visible in our sight, Jesus Christ is surely present.
And even when to us, it seems like dark night (in times of pain and sorrow) appears endless, it is well for us to believe through Jesus’ words, that new morning will surely come with His light (star).
In the latter half of verse 17 is written as follows.
Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
“One who is thirsty” refers to one who is spiritually thirsty. If we are not spiritually filled, we always thirst in our heart.
It is because man, by nature, receives spirit from God and lives spiritually. It is written in [Genesis], which is the beginning of the Old Testament that, God created man of dust from the ground, by breathing “breath” into man, He made him into living being.
That “breath” also means “spirit”. Man being breathed in with God’s spirit becomes a living being, and even now, for man to live in its true sense, it is essential to always receive the” spirit” from God.
If we don’t receive the spirit from God, we become spiritually thirsty, perpetually unfulfilled, empty, and in a feeling of uncertainty.
However, Jesus promises that [Anyone who is thirsty, “can drink” without value (it’s free) the water of life that I give], that no one will spiritually thirst.
Should one thirst, should one desire for the water of life, let us go to Jesus. He says [Come to Me] anytime, He invites and waits for us.
Concretely, to go to Jesus is to read God’s Word of the Bible, come to church and listen together to the message of God’s Word of the Bible in the worship service, read and share the Bible together with other believers and pray.
The pathway to Jesus is open. Even our church always welcomes the thirsty, and I wish to always keep the church’s gate open that we can walk together with them to Jesus.
Let us respond to Jesus’ calling, receive the spiritual nourishment, the water of life which is the Word of God and go to Jesus together with us.
In today’s passage, is also written extremely severe words that we should listen seriously. Let me read verses 18～19.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
We can say that the [words of the prophecy of this scroll], in broader sense, refers to the words of the entire Bible. The Bible is the Word of God that was written through the inspiration of God.
And each word of the Bible bears the weight of the Lord Jesus Christ’s cross. Jesus who bore the sins of us human beings, crucified and died, says that the Word of the Bible is certainly true and testifies about Him.
It says here that we should not modify, add human thoughts or take away significant matters arbitrarily from the words of the Bible.
Surely, there are passages in the Bible that are hard or difficult to understand, or unacceptable in our view of the present age. However, the Word of the Bible is, in any case, the Word of God that should be earnestly studied through Jesus Christ.
I repeat, it is because God’s Word of the Bible is the Word in which the One who has offered everything on the cross for our sake said, “this Bible testifies about Me”.
The most important thing in my work as a pastor, is to explain/ interpret God’s Word of the Bible.
It’s not just theoretically or historically explaining its content as [this Word means this], [the historical background of this passage is this] (but that includes as well)
It isn’t that way, but it’s the role of the pastor to reinterpret and convey the words of the Bible that it may become words to make us at the present time live, and it is also our role as a whole church.
When God’s Word of the Bible is explained clearly at church, and each one of us who hears lives that Word of God in real life, the word of the Bible is reinterpreted to the world through us.
At that time, the Word of the Bible will be spoken as a vibrant and abundant thing, exactly as a “Living Word of life”.
Let us rejoice that we are being made to live in such Word of God, moreover, let us abundantly receive and share His Word, and together live the life of faith.
Let me read the last portion of today’s passage, verse 21 which is the concluding remark of the entire Bible.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
This utterance “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people” condenses the purpose of the written Word of the Bible into one sentence.
It is concentrated in this sentence, how much God loves us, how He longs for us to live the abundant life under His grace.
And in this single sentence is summarized the calling of evangelism that our church must fulfill.
Let these words of prayer and hope [The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people], be our earnest prayer and hope.
And let us live ourselves to the joy and happiness of being made to live in the Word of Jesus Christ and convey God’s Word to the world as well.
Prelude
Call to Worship Isaiah 55:3
Hymn JBC#21 Worthy of worship
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 388 Lord, lay some soul upon my heart
Offering
Scripture Revelation 22:16～21
Prayer
Sermon “Come, Lord Jesus”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 301 Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
Doxology JBC# 673
Benediction
Postlude
Today, we have come to the last Sunday worship service of the 2024 fiscal year. (Generally speaking, the new fiscal year in Japan begins from April)
Let us sincerely be grateful to God that our church has worshipped, that our life of faith has been protected under His grace this year as well.
Along with the annual theme [Stand on the Word of the Lord] this year, our church has kept its walk of faith.
It might sound like to [Stand on the Word of the Lord] seems like “to do our best to keep on standing on God’s Word of the bible on our own feet by our own will and effort”.
Certainly, the point that we ourselves should strive is undeniable even in our life of faith.
However, to [stand on the Word of the Lord] is primarily to confirm the solid foundation which is “the Word of the Lord (God)” that is already given to us, rather than us trying an effort.
And it is a grace that, to stand firm on that absolute Word of the Lord, we can receive unwavering peace of mind on that foundation.
That Word of the Lord, which is the absolute foundation that we can always rely on throughout our life, is already given to us.
By always listening to the “Word of the Lord” that guides our journey, having His Word as a guideline to conduct our life, we can walk the certain way of faith, even if it’s slow (and even if at times we tend to lose our way)
The Word of the bible is God’s Word, and it gives us spiritual encouragement and strength.
Just by oral reading the Word of the bible and even just heard simultaneously by many people,
it’s quite possible that that Word resonates very uniquely.
Jesus said [For where two or three are gathered in My Name, I Am there amidst them] (Matthew 18:20)
If even two or three believers that believe Jesus Christ gather, and there the Word which is God’s Word is shared, the Spirit of Jesus that was promised to be with us turns the Word of God into something special.
Let us believe the promise of Jesus that said He will be with us where we gather in His name.
Let us at always stand on God’s Word, be sustained and guided, share His Word together, move towards the direction His Word reveals and walk together even from now on.
This fiscal year, we have shared with each other over the course of a year the entire bible from the beginning of the Old Testament in the worship service sermon.
Of course, the scriptures that we could take in the worship service message was just a portion of the entire bible.
However, I believe we have confirmed that [both the New and Old Testament testifies of Jesus Christ], and [The Bible is absolutely God’s message]
We hear [the Gospel of Jesus Christ (the Good News)] from the entire bible.
Today’s scripture, the last Sunday of this fiscal year is the last portion, chap. 22:16～21 of [Revelation] which is the very last book of the Bible.
“Revelation” means “what is concealed will be revealed”, that is, “God’s truth will be revealed”.
Why can we human beings come to know about God? We cannot reach God nor gain knowledge to know Him from the human side.
And yet, why can we come to know God?
It’s because God Himself has revealed Himself to us through Jesus Christ. It’s because God became human being and lived with people in this world.
Jesus was crucified, died and resurrected. After that, Jesus promised [I will come again] and ascended to heaven.
To this day, Jesus is not visible, but we can hear and share His message through the words of the Bible.
We can know who Jesus Christ is through the Bible.
Today’s verse 16 is written as follows.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
Jesus calls Himself [the Root of David (branch, meaning descendant)]. David is the name of a king of Israel that appears in the Old Testament.
To the Israelites, King David is a character that may well be said to be a historical as well as a hero of faith.
And in accordance with the prophetic words of the Bible (Old Testament), the Israelites believed that “in due time, their own Savior (the Messiah) will be born from the descendants of David”.
And exactly, Jesus was born into this world with Joseph of the House of David as his father.
Jesus calls Himself [the bright Morning Star]. Morning star refers to the bright Venus in the East at dawn.
Jesus calls Himself here [the Morning Star], meaning hope that “After the night, morning will surely come. That means, new morning comes along with the star (morning star) of Jesus Christ” as well.
Venus is not visible from the earth at night due to positional relationship. Although unseen, however, of course Venus exists. Similarly, though not visible in our sight, Jesus Christ is surely present.
And even when to us, it seems like dark night (in times of pain and sorrow) appears endless, it is well for us to believe through Jesus’ words, that new morning will surely come with His light (star).
In the latter half of verse 17 is written as follows.
Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
“One who is thirsty” refers to one who is spiritually thirsty. If we are not spiritually filled, we always thirst in our heart.
It is because man, by nature, receives spirit from God and lives spiritually. It is written in [Genesis], which is the beginning of the Old Testament that, God created man of dust from the ground, by breathing “breath” into man, He made him into living being.
That “breath” also means “spirit”. Man being breathed in with God’s spirit becomes a living being, and even now, for man to live in its true sense, it is essential to always receive the” spirit” from God.
If we don’t receive the spirit from God, we become spiritually thirsty, perpetually unfulfilled, empty, and in a feeling of uncertainty.
However, Jesus promises that [Anyone who is thirsty, “can drink” without value (it’s free) the water of life that I give], that no one will spiritually thirst.
Should one thirst, should one desire for the water of life, let us go to Jesus. He says [Come to Me] anytime, He invites and waits for us.
Concretely, to go to Jesus is to read God’s Word of the Bible, come to church and listen together to the message of God’s Word of the Bible in the worship service, read and share the Bible together with other believers and pray.
The pathway to Jesus is open. Even our church always welcomes the thirsty, and I wish to always keep the church’s gate open that we can walk together with them to Jesus.
Let us respond to Jesus’ calling, receive the spiritual nourishment, the water of life which is the Word of God and go to Jesus together with us.
In today’s passage, is also written extremely severe words that we should listen seriously. Let me read verses 18～19.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
We can say that the [words of the prophecy of this scroll], in broader sense, refers to the words of the entire Bible. The Bible is the Word of God that was written through the inspiration of God.
And each word of the Bible bears the weight of the Lord Jesus Christ’s cross. Jesus who bore the sins of us human beings, crucified and died, says that the Word of the Bible is certainly true and testifies about Him.
It says here that we should not modify, add human thoughts or take away significant matters arbitrarily from the words of the Bible.
Surely, there are passages in the Bible that are hard or difficult to understand, or unacceptable in our view of the present age. However, the Word of the Bible is, in any case, the Word of God that should be earnestly studied through Jesus Christ.
I repeat, it is because God’s Word of the Bible is the Word in which the One who has offered everything on the cross for our sake said, “this Bible testifies about Me”.
The most important thing in my work as a pastor, is to explain/ interpret God’s Word of the Bible.
It’s not just theoretically or historically explaining its content as [this Word means this], [the historical background of this passage is this] (but that includes as well)
It isn’t that way, but it’s the role of the pastor to reinterpret and convey the words of the Bible that it may become words to make us at the present time live, and it is also our role as a whole church.
When God’s Word of the Bible is explained clearly at church, and each one of us who hears lives that Word of God in real life, the word of the Bible is reinterpreted to the world through us.
At that time, the Word of the Bible will be spoken as a vibrant and abundant thing, exactly as a “Living Word of life”.
Let us rejoice that we are being made to live in such Word of God, moreover, let us abundantly receive and share His Word, and together live the life of faith.
Let me read the last portion of today’s passage, verse 21 which is the concluding remark of the entire Bible.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
This utterance “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people” condenses the purpose of the written Word of the Bible into one sentence.
It is concentrated in this sentence, how much God loves us, how He longs for us to live the abundant life under His grace.
And in this single sentence is summarized the calling of evangelism that our church must fulfill.
Let these words of prayer and hope [The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people], be our earnest prayer and hope.
And let us live ourselves to the joy and happiness of being made to live in the Word of Jesus Christ and convey God’s Word to the world as well.
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Sunday Worship Service March 23, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalms 31:5 (NIV)
Hymn JBC # 3 Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness
The Lord’s Prayer
The Lord’s Supper
Hymn JBC # 388 Lord, lay some soul upon my heart
Offering
Scripture 1 John 3:19～24
Prayer
Sermon “We belong to the truth”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 92 Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee
Doxology JBC # 673
Benediction
Postlude
Today's Bible passage is from ‘1 Epistle of John”. It is said that the John who wrote this letter was John, one of the twelve direct disciples of Jesus, who also wrote ‘the Gospel of John’.
John recorded in the form of a Gospel the life of Jesus, whom he lived together with, the words that Jesus spoke, and Jesus' crucifixion, death, and resurrection.
In this letter, on the other hand, John focuses on how believers in Jesus Christ should live their lives of faith, especially how believers should love one another.
It is believed that John wrote this letter about 60 years after Jesus died.
If 60 years had already passed since Jesus left the earth, was He a distant memory in John's mind?
Had Jesus become someone that he would remember, thinking, “Long ago, Jesus was our teacher, and He taught us about the wonderful kingdom of God. I remember Him fondly.”?
That was not the case at all. To John, Jesus, who had died 60 years earlier, was still alive as the Christ (the Savior).
Each word of the letters of John shows that John was receiving the power of Jesus Christ working through the Holy Spirit.
Even though Jesus Christ, as a human being, no longer lived on earth, He certainly continued to live in John and among those who believed in Christ with him.
Christ still continues to live now and to tell us the living Words of God. We still now can receive the living Words of God together.
Just before today's scripture passage, in chapter 3, verse 16, it says:
1 John 3:16
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
In the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16, it says:
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Both are chapter 3, verse 16. Essentially, they both say the same thing: Jesus Christ died for us. God gave His only begotten Son to us. Through Him we now know love.
But John's letter says, “And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
Even 60 years after Jesus' death, the fact and truth that “the Lord laid down His life for us” was not just a memory of the past for John.
Rather, it (Jesus' laying down His life) remained the driving force of his (John's) life of faith, to the point that he said, “And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
We cannot die for humans as God died to save humans from sin. For humans cannot save humans from their sins.
However, John is saying that if we truly believe that God laid down His life for us, then that faith should take concrete form in a way of life that practices love for others.
Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. In doing so, we have come to know love. This remains the central message of the Bible.
And the Bible continues to urge us to this day, saying, “Now that we have known this true love, let us love one another. For Jesus first loved us, so much so that He laid down His life for us.”
Because Jesus laid down His life on the cross, we can know how much God loves us and values us.
If any of us thinks, “I am worthless” or “I am not loved,” I urge you to look up to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ on the cross.
It is Jesus Christ, who gave His life on the cross, who teaches us true love, He teaches us, “how loved and precious in the sight of God this person who I am is.”
At the beginning of today's passage, it says, “This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his (God’s) presence.”
The truth is Jesus Christ.
Specifically, it is the Word of Jesus Christ and the love of Jesus Christ. Because it is the truth, it will not change with the times, and its power will not weaken.
The one thing that is certain, the one thing that never changes, the one thing that is absolute, the one thing that will always have power, the one thing that will always encourage us, is the Truth. It is the Word of Christ and His love.
If you can believe that you belong to that Truth, then there is true peace.
Things in this world change. People's hearts, trends, ways of thinking, common sense, and so on all change with the times.
But Jesus Christ never changes. His love and His Word never change. We belong to the truth of Christ. And there is security and peace in that.
If the unchanging Word of Jesus Christ continues to be spoken in the church, if that Word is shared, and if love is practiced based on the Word, there will be a firm hope.
Nowadays, the number of people gathering in churches, the number of Christians, is very small. Our church is also a small flock. It is my hope that we will pray together that we may be given good wisdom and methods to preach the gospel of Christ.
But above all else, let us remember the truth that the Word of Jesus Christ never changes, and that Word is always with us, and let us continue to stand on that truth.
We can rest assured knowing that we have been given the unchanging treasure that is the Word of God.
Verse 20 says, “If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”
When we face ourselves honestly, we may at times blame ourselves.
I think there are times when we are made aware of our own unpleasant aspects or shortcomings, or when we make a mistake, and find it difficult to forgive ourselves or even start to hate ourselves.
When we are made aware of our sins, we may think that as we are we will never be able to stand before God. It is important to face our sins to the extent that we feel this way.
However, even if we find ourselves blaming ourselves in these ways, we can still feel secure because God is greater than our hearts.
For God, despite our shortcomings, despite our unpleasant aspects, has invited each of us to live in His love, forgiving us nonetheless.
Some of Jesus' first disciples, such as Peter and John, were the first to experience the great joy of being forgiven by God after facing their own shortcomings and unpleasant aspects.
When Jesus was arrested, all of His disciples, including John, the writer of this letter, abandoned Him and fled.
The disciple Peter remembered the words that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times,” and when this actually happened, he broke down in tears.
Such disciples met the resurrected Jesus Christ, learned that their sins were forgiven, and from then on became powerful evangelists who spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The driving force behind their evangelism was the conviction that people are not saved by their own efforts or achievements. Humans that are weak, flawed, and even cowardly can be forgiven and saved only through God's mercy.
The gospel is not about boasting about ourselves, it is about the fact that it is only by the love and mercy of Christ that we are forgiven, kept alive, and loved. This gospel is our true strength and hope.
And it is this hope that changes the way we live.
Verse 22 of today's passage says, “receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.”
The next verse, verse 23, reads:
23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
The Name of Jesus Christ describes the essence of Jesus Christ, including that He is God, what He has done, and His Word.
Believers believe in Jesus' words, His love, and everything He has done, and live their lives trusting in each of these things.
And when believers believe together in the name of Christ and gather together in His name, the love of Christ is shared and put into practice.
In this way, in a community of faith where we believe in the name of Christ and love one another by faith, we are promised in today's scripture passage that if we join our hearts together in prayer and ask God for something, whatever we pray for will be granted.
When we hear, “whatever we ask God for, He will grant it,” we might think, “Is that really true? Aren't there some wishes and prayers that cannot be granted?”
When we have such doubts, especially when we have such doubts, let us focus our hearts on the fact that Jesus Christ gave His life for us on the cross.
And let us once again take confidence in the great love that God has for us.
Surely God, who gave his only Son for us, would not fail to hear our prayers as we pray together in unity and love for one another.
Let us continue to receive Christ's love abundantly through His Word.
And receiving Christ's love in abundance, let us cherish the faith that enables us to cherish and love one another.
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalms 31:5 (NIV)
Hymn JBC # 3 Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness
The Lord’s Prayer
The Lord’s Supper
Hymn JBC # 388 Lord, lay some soul upon my heart
Offering
Scripture 1 John 3:19～24
Prayer
Sermon “We belong to the truth”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 92 Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee
Doxology JBC # 673
Benediction
Postlude
Today's Bible passage is from ‘1 Epistle of John”. It is said that the John who wrote this letter was John, one of the twelve direct disciples of Jesus, who also wrote ‘the Gospel of John’.
John recorded in the form of a Gospel the life of Jesus, whom he lived together with, the words that Jesus spoke, and Jesus' crucifixion, death, and resurrection.
In this letter, on the other hand, John focuses on how believers in Jesus Christ should live their lives of faith, especially how believers should love one another.
It is believed that John wrote this letter about 60 years after Jesus died.
If 60 years had already passed since Jesus left the earth, was He a distant memory in John's mind?
Had Jesus become someone that he would remember, thinking, “Long ago, Jesus was our teacher, and He taught us about the wonderful kingdom of God. I remember Him fondly.”?
That was not the case at all. To John, Jesus, who had died 60 years earlier, was still alive as the Christ (the Savior).
Each word of the letters of John shows that John was receiving the power of Jesus Christ working through the Holy Spirit.
Even though Jesus Christ, as a human being, no longer lived on earth, He certainly continued to live in John and among those who believed in Christ with him.
Christ still continues to live now and to tell us the living Words of God. We still now can receive the living Words of God together.
Just before today's scripture passage, in chapter 3, verse 16, it says:
1 John 3:16
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
In the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16, it says:
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Both are chapter 3, verse 16. Essentially, they both say the same thing: Jesus Christ died for us. God gave His only begotten Son to us. Through Him we now know love.
But John's letter says, “And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
Even 60 years after Jesus' death, the fact and truth that “the Lord laid down His life for us” was not just a memory of the past for John.
Rather, it (Jesus' laying down His life) remained the driving force of his (John's) life of faith, to the point that he said, “And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
We cannot die for humans as God died to save humans from sin. For humans cannot save humans from their sins.
However, John is saying that if we truly believe that God laid down His life for us, then that faith should take concrete form in a way of life that practices love for others.
Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. In doing so, we have come to know love. This remains the central message of the Bible.
And the Bible continues to urge us to this day, saying, “Now that we have known this true love, let us love one another. For Jesus first loved us, so much so that He laid down His life for us.”
Because Jesus laid down His life on the cross, we can know how much God loves us and values us.
If any of us thinks, “I am worthless” or “I am not loved,” I urge you to look up to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ on the cross.
It is Jesus Christ, who gave His life on the cross, who teaches us true love, He teaches us, “how loved and precious in the sight of God this person who I am is.”
At the beginning of today's passage, it says, “This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his (God’s) presence.”
The truth is Jesus Christ.
Specifically, it is the Word of Jesus Christ and the love of Jesus Christ. Because it is the truth, it will not change with the times, and its power will not weaken.
The one thing that is certain, the one thing that never changes, the one thing that is absolute, the one thing that will always have power, the one thing that will always encourage us, is the Truth. It is the Word of Christ and His love.
If you can believe that you belong to that Truth, then there is true peace.
Things in this world change. People's hearts, trends, ways of thinking, common sense, and so on all change with the times.
But Jesus Christ never changes. His love and His Word never change. We belong to the truth of Christ. And there is security and peace in that.
If the unchanging Word of Jesus Christ continues to be spoken in the church, if that Word is shared, and if love is practiced based on the Word, there will be a firm hope.
Nowadays, the number of people gathering in churches, the number of Christians, is very small. Our church is also a small flock. It is my hope that we will pray together that we may be given good wisdom and methods to preach the gospel of Christ.
But above all else, let us remember the truth that the Word of Jesus Christ never changes, and that Word is always with us, and let us continue to stand on that truth.
We can rest assured knowing that we have been given the unchanging treasure that is the Word of God.
Verse 20 says, “If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”
When we face ourselves honestly, we may at times blame ourselves.
I think there are times when we are made aware of our own unpleasant aspects or shortcomings, or when we make a mistake, and find it difficult to forgive ourselves or even start to hate ourselves.
When we are made aware of our sins, we may think that as we are we will never be able to stand before God. It is important to face our sins to the extent that we feel this way.
However, even if we find ourselves blaming ourselves in these ways, we can still feel secure because God is greater than our hearts.
For God, despite our shortcomings, despite our unpleasant aspects, has invited each of us to live in His love, forgiving us nonetheless.
Some of Jesus' first disciples, such as Peter and John, were the first to experience the great joy of being forgiven by God after facing their own shortcomings and unpleasant aspects.
When Jesus was arrested, all of His disciples, including John, the writer of this letter, abandoned Him and fled.
The disciple Peter remembered the words that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times,” and when this actually happened, he broke down in tears.
Such disciples met the resurrected Jesus Christ, learned that their sins were forgiven, and from then on became powerful evangelists who spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The driving force behind their evangelism was the conviction that people are not saved by their own efforts or achievements. Humans that are weak, flawed, and even cowardly can be forgiven and saved only through God's mercy.
The gospel is not about boasting about ourselves, it is about the fact that it is only by the love and mercy of Christ that we are forgiven, kept alive, and loved. This gospel is our true strength and hope.
And it is this hope that changes the way we live.
Verse 22 of today's passage says, “receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.”
The next verse, verse 23, reads:
23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
The Name of Jesus Christ describes the essence of Jesus Christ, including that He is God, what He has done, and His Word.
Believers believe in Jesus' words, His love, and everything He has done, and live their lives trusting in each of these things.
And when believers believe together in the name of Christ and gather together in His name, the love of Christ is shared and put into practice.
In this way, in a community of faith where we believe in the name of Christ and love one another by faith, we are promised in today's scripture passage that if we join our hearts together in prayer and ask God for something, whatever we pray for will be granted.
When we hear, “whatever we ask God for, He will grant it,” we might think, “Is that really true? Aren't there some wishes and prayers that cannot be granted?”
When we have such doubts, especially when we have such doubts, let us focus our hearts on the fact that Jesus Christ gave His life for us on the cross.
And let us once again take confidence in the great love that God has for us.
Surely God, who gave his only Son for us, would not fail to hear our prayers as we pray together in unity and love for one another.
Let us continue to receive Christ's love abundantly through His Word.
And receiving Christ's love in abundance, let us cherish the faith that enables us to cherish and love one another.
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Sunday Worship Service March 16, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalms 148:5
Hymn JBC # 513 Walking in sunlight, all of my journey
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 388 Lord, lay some soul upon my heart
Offering
Scripture James 1:12~18
Prayer
Sermon “Trials and Temptations”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 552 Day by Day
Doxology JBC # 673
Benediction
Postlude
Today’s Bible passage comes from the book of James, Chapter 1, in the New Testament. This book is a letter, written by a person called James.
In the first verse of Chapter 1, he describes himself as “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”.
It is believed this is the same James who was one of Jesus Christ’s brothers. After Jesus’ death (and resurrection and ascension to Heaven), he took up a leadership role in the Jerusalem church.
As Jesus’ brother, James would have grown up seeing Jesus as his human brother from a young age. He would also have seen with his own eyes when Jesus began his ministry at about the age of 30.
Even though Jesus was his brother in his earthly family, through Jesus’s words (teachings) and actions, as well as His death on the cross and resurrection, James came to believe that his own brother was in fact the Christ, the true Lord and Savior.
As Jesus’s brother James calls himself “a servant of Christ”, we can see that everyone is a servant before Jesus Christ,
This is because all of us, regardless of our birth (even those who were related by Jesus by blood), or our status, everyone is a “servant of Christ” through faith.
We are servants of our Lord Jesus Christ. This means that our master and teacher is Jesus Christ alone. Under Christ, all of us are servants of the Lord.
We are all people who serve the Lord as servants. And serving the Lord also means that we are also serving each other.
If we put what Jesus commanded us to do in simple terms, it would be to love each other, and to support (serve) each other.
We may have been asked questions like “Are there any commandments in Christianity?”, or “Are there any things you cannot eat or drink?”
For Christians, there is no specific food that is prohibited, nor is it prohibited to drink alcohol.
In Judaism (in the Old Testament), the religion out of which grew Christianity, there were detailed rules over what could and could not be eaten (clean and unclean food).
However ever since Jesus Christ became a man and offered himself as atone for the sins of all mankind, He made everything new again.
Jesus said:
11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” (Mark 15:11)
Jesus taught that it is not a question of what we eat, but what comes out of our mouths, meaning what thoughts come from our hearts as words.
This shows the importance of not hurting others with our words, but using our words to show love and consideration for others.
Then, if we really try to live out the principle of Jesus’ commandment that is, “to love others and support each other”, I think we see just how difficult and challenging this teaching is.
How can we really follow Jesus’ teaching?
To follow Jesus’ teaching, we need to know the heart of our heavenly Father through Jesus, and believe and trust in God.
We need to know who God is, and know the gifts he has for us.
What we can fully trust in through Jesus is that the Lord God gives us good things, the best things.
In verse 17 of today’s passage it says “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,”.
Sometimes we are not always happy with what God has given us, and may even feel we are suffering. These are times when we are given trials.
We go through many trials in life. We are faced with difficult times, times of suffering and times of sadness.
To know whether these trials are truly given to us by God, we need to prayerfully use discernment.
But today’s passage says “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial”. If it is a trial sent us by God, this passage says it is good for us to persevere through the trial.
Verse 12 says “having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him”.
One of the points made by this passage is that to persevere through trials is linked to loving God.
Going through trials is difficult, but they also help us to understand how other people feel when they are going through the same kind of trials and suffering.
I think some of us here must also have experience with this, where we wouldn’t know the feeling if we hadn’t also experienced a similar trial.
One such example is suffering from illness. Suffering from illness is a tough experience, however, when we lose our good health and fall in, we come to appreciate the value of having good health.
In becoming sick, we also come to understand the feelings of others around us who are suffering from illness.
If we were always healthy, it would just be normal, and we may not even be thankful to God for that.
But when we temporarily lose our health and come to know the value of regularly having good health, we truly appreciate being healthy, and give thanks to God who gives us that good health.
If we experience these trials and persevere through them, coming to be thankful to God and see the good gifts He has given us, then we see the truth that ““Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial”.
Let us keep believing that when we face trials given to us by God, through those trials we will learn perseverance and come to have love and trust in God.
Let’s look again at verses 13 to 15.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
God would never tempt us into evil. According to this passage, if we find ourselves being tempted towards evil, it is our own desires giving birth to sin.
Through trials, God helps us to grow into people who love God and love others. This God would never tempt us towards evil.
If we are being led towards evil, being drawn towards a path of sin and death, that is because of our own desires within us, that is to say, it is we ourselves that are responsible.
Jesus’ teaching and the teaching of the Bible are very strict on this point. This isn’t about upholding a commandment on the surface, such as what not to eat or what not to drink.
Whether or not we persevere through trials, overcome temptation, and become people who love God and love others is important for our salvation.
And the Bible tells us that this salvation is given to us through Jesus Christ.
Verse 18 says this:
18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
The “word of truth” is the Word of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ himself.
This means that through the Word of Jesus Christ, our heavenly father makes us anew.
Each day, God is making us anew through the Word of Christ.
When we believe in the Word of Lord above all else, believe in Jesus Christ who is the Word and follow Christ, we are transformed from our old sinful natures into people who are forgiven of our sins with pure love.
The second half of verse 18 says “that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created”.
Firstfruits are offerings made to God of the best one has to offer. This passage shows the ultimate purpose we have for living.
We are made new through the Jesus Christ who is the Word of our Lord God.
We are forgiven of our sins, and are transformed into people who love God and love one another. In this way, we give ourselves as an offering to God and to others.
Those who truly know God’s love do not live for themselves or for their own gain, but come to live their lives for God and for others. They live their lives as an offering.
This is not something that can ever be achieved through our own human strength or effort.
The One who is truly God became a man, and suffered through the most painful trial on the cross. Through this act, we are able to know Christ’s love, and to be transformed ourselves through this love into people with love within us.
We receive the love of Christ who suffered in our place, and are transformed into people who persevere through trials, love God, love others, serve God and serve others.
Jesus went to the cross for us so that we could become people with love within us. We are now in the time of Lent, when we remember that road of suffering Jesus took.
Let us now reflect on the burden Jesus bore and the path of suffering he walked.
And shall we not also today offer up our heartfelt gratitude and repentance for all that Jesus has taught us and the love He has given us?
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalms 148:5
Hymn JBC # 513 Walking in sunlight, all of my journey
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 388 Lord, lay some soul upon my heart
Offering
Scripture James 1:12~18
Prayer
Sermon “Trials and Temptations”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 552 Day by Day
Doxology JBC # 673
Benediction
Postlude
Today’s Bible passage comes from the book of James, Chapter 1, in the New Testament. This book is a letter, written by a person called James.
In the first verse of Chapter 1, he describes himself as “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”.
It is believed this is the same James who was one of Jesus Christ’s brothers. After Jesus’ death (and resurrection and ascension to Heaven), he took up a leadership role in the Jerusalem church.
As Jesus’ brother, James would have grown up seeing Jesus as his human brother from a young age. He would also have seen with his own eyes when Jesus began his ministry at about the age of 30.
Even though Jesus was his brother in his earthly family, through Jesus’s words (teachings) and actions, as well as His death on the cross and resurrection, James came to believe that his own brother was in fact the Christ, the true Lord and Savior.
As Jesus’s brother James calls himself “a servant of Christ”, we can see that everyone is a servant before Jesus Christ,
This is because all of us, regardless of our birth (even those who were related by Jesus by blood), or our status, everyone is a “servant of Christ” through faith.
We are servants of our Lord Jesus Christ. This means that our master and teacher is Jesus Christ alone. Under Christ, all of us are servants of the Lord.
We are all people who serve the Lord as servants. And serving the Lord also means that we are also serving each other.
If we put what Jesus commanded us to do in simple terms, it would be to love each other, and to support (serve) each other.
We may have been asked questions like “Are there any commandments in Christianity?”, or “Are there any things you cannot eat or drink?”
For Christians, there is no specific food that is prohibited, nor is it prohibited to drink alcohol.
In Judaism (in the Old Testament), the religion out of which grew Christianity, there were detailed rules over what could and could not be eaten (clean and unclean food).
However ever since Jesus Christ became a man and offered himself as atone for the sins of all mankind, He made everything new again.
Jesus said:
11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” (Mark 15:11)
Jesus taught that it is not a question of what we eat, but what comes out of our mouths, meaning what thoughts come from our hearts as words.
This shows the importance of not hurting others with our words, but using our words to show love and consideration for others.
Then, if we really try to live out the principle of Jesus’ commandment that is, “to love others and support each other”, I think we see just how difficult and challenging this teaching is.
How can we really follow Jesus’ teaching?
To follow Jesus’ teaching, we need to know the heart of our heavenly Father through Jesus, and believe and trust in God.
We need to know who God is, and know the gifts he has for us.
What we can fully trust in through Jesus is that the Lord God gives us good things, the best things.
In verse 17 of today’s passage it says “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,”.
Sometimes we are not always happy with what God has given us, and may even feel we are suffering. These are times when we are given trials.
We go through many trials in life. We are faced with difficult times, times of suffering and times of sadness.
To know whether these trials are truly given to us by God, we need to prayerfully use discernment.
But today’s passage says “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial”. If it is a trial sent us by God, this passage says it is good for us to persevere through the trial.
Verse 12 says “having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him”.
One of the points made by this passage is that to persevere through trials is linked to loving God.
Going through trials is difficult, but they also help us to understand how other people feel when they are going through the same kind of trials and suffering.
I think some of us here must also have experience with this, where we wouldn’t know the feeling if we hadn’t also experienced a similar trial.
One such example is suffering from illness. Suffering from illness is a tough experience, however, when we lose our good health and fall in, we come to appreciate the value of having good health.
In becoming sick, we also come to understand the feelings of others around us who are suffering from illness.
If we were always healthy, it would just be normal, and we may not even be thankful to God for that.
But when we temporarily lose our health and come to know the value of regularly having good health, we truly appreciate being healthy, and give thanks to God who gives us that good health.
If we experience these trials and persevere through them, coming to be thankful to God and see the good gifts He has given us, then we see the truth that ““Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial”.
Let us keep believing that when we face trials given to us by God, through those trials we will learn perseverance and come to have love and trust in God.
Let’s look again at verses 13 to 15.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
God would never tempt us into evil. According to this passage, if we find ourselves being tempted towards evil, it is our own desires giving birth to sin.
Through trials, God helps us to grow into people who love God and love others. This God would never tempt us towards evil.
If we are being led towards evil, being drawn towards a path of sin and death, that is because of our own desires within us, that is to say, it is we ourselves that are responsible.
Jesus’ teaching and the teaching of the Bible are very strict on this point. This isn’t about upholding a commandment on the surface, such as what not to eat or what not to drink.
Whether or not we persevere through trials, overcome temptation, and become people who love God and love others is important for our salvation.
And the Bible tells us that this salvation is given to us through Jesus Christ.
Verse 18 says this:
18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
The “word of truth” is the Word of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ himself.
This means that through the Word of Jesus Christ, our heavenly father makes us anew.
Each day, God is making us anew through the Word of Christ.
When we believe in the Word of Lord above all else, believe in Jesus Christ who is the Word and follow Christ, we are transformed from our old sinful natures into people who are forgiven of our sins with pure love.
The second half of verse 18 says “that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created”.
Firstfruits are offerings made to God of the best one has to offer. This passage shows the ultimate purpose we have for living.
We are made new through the Jesus Christ who is the Word of our Lord God.
We are forgiven of our sins, and are transformed into people who love God and love one another. In this way, we give ourselves as an offering to God and to others.
Those who truly know God’s love do not live for themselves or for their own gain, but come to live their lives for God and for others. They live their lives as an offering.
This is not something that can ever be achieved through our own human strength or effort.
The One who is truly God became a man, and suffered through the most painful trial on the cross. Through this act, we are able to know Christ’s love, and to be transformed ourselves through this love into people with love within us.
We receive the love of Christ who suffered in our place, and are transformed into people who persevere through trials, love God, love others, serve God and serve others.
Jesus went to the cross for us so that we could become people with love within us. We are now in the time of Lent, when we remember that road of suffering Jesus took.
Let us now reflect on the burden Jesus bore and the path of suffering he walked.
And shall we not also today offer up our heartfelt gratitude and repentance for all that Jesus has taught us and the love He has given us?
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Sunday Worship Service March 9, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Proverb 16:20
Hymn JBC # 40 O Thou, in whose presence
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 388 Lord, lay some soul upon my heart
Offering Scripture Hebrew 4: 14-16
Prayer
Sermon “Jesus, the High Priest”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 297 I hear the Saviour say
Doxology JBC# 673
Benediction
Postlude
Today's Bible passage (Hebrews 4:14-16) says, "Jesus Christ is the great high priest".
The priests were the people who served God as representatives of the people of Israel.
The priests also performed duties such as offering to God for the forgiveness of sins on behalf of the people and blessing the people on God's behalf.
Today's passage describes Jesus Christ as " a great high priest who has ascended into heaven; the Son of God”.
"Has ascended (going through layers of )into heaven" refers to the fact that after Jesus Christ's crucifixion, death, and resurrection, He ascended into the highest place, where He is now seated at the right hand of God.
Romans 8:34 says, "Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”
A human priest cannot meet God face to face, because no human can meet God face to face.
However, Jesus Christ is now with God the Father in heaven and still conveys our requests and prayers to God the Father on our behalf.
Because Christ is now in heaven, we are allowed to pray with faith that our prayers will be heard and that Jesus will convey our prayers and requests to God.
Jesus Christ, God who became man, descended to the lowest place among men, to where we humans dwell.
Why did God become man like that? Why did God come down to the lowest place among us? And why did God have to go to the cross?
The Bible tells us that our sins have been forgiven because Jesus Christ died on the cross.
Christians always remember this, are thankful, and live their lives giving thanks to God for forgiving our sins and giving us new life.
God had no need or obligation to come to this world as Jesus Christ to forgive our sins. That’s because we humans have chosen to live apart from God by ourselves.
God could have saved us or not save us, but the God of love chose to become a human being and reveal himself to us, because that is how much God loves us.
The fact that God became a human being was a miraculous event in which God's love was clearly and visibly demonstrated. Through Jesus, God showed us, "Here is love. Here is salvation."
Jesus was born as a human being to Joseph and Mary, and lived in a village called Nazareth in the region of Israel called Galilee until he was about 30 years old.
It seems that Jesus took over the work of his father Joseph, who was a carpenter, and worked as a carpenter himself. This became a stumbling block for people when Jesus preached about the kingdom of God to them.
In Gospel of Mark Ch.6, we read about when Jesus began to teach about the kingdom of God in the synagogue of his hometown. The people were amazed at what he was teaching.
But some people refused to accept Jesus' great teachings, saying that He was the carpenter and that He was the son of Mary and that they knew His brothers, too.
They may have thought, "There is no way that the carpenter's son, someone from a family we know well, could have such great teachings."
The people who stumbled on Jesus at that time represent our tendency to place more importance on external, non-essential things, such as where a person comes from or what they look like, rather than on who they are and what they have to say or do.
It is very significant for us that Jesus grew up in Galilee as a carpenter's son and a laborer.
This means that Jesus Himself experienced the difficulty, hardship, and challenges that come with working every day.
Working can give you a sense of purpose and the joy of contributing to society, but I think it's hard to earn a living by working every day.
I believe that there are people who suffer hardships in their daily work, who experience things not going as they planned, and who feel overwhelmed.
Our Lord Jesus Christ also experienced the hardships of daily work and labor, so we can trust that He truly knows and understands us.
Jesus is always with us because He Himself has experienced the difficulties of work and the difficulties of daily life.
Today's verse 15 reads:
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
Jesus can empathize with our deepest hearts, our pain, and our sorrow.
Empathy here means "to genuinely worry along with another person and to accept their sadness and suffering as your own."
We humans cannot have that much compassion for anyone other than ourselves, but Jesus can.
In Luke 10, we find the story of "The Parable of the Good Samaritan."
When an expert in law asked Jesus, "How can I inherit eternal life?" Jesus told him the following parable:
A man was traveling and he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
The priests and the Levites (who also performed the role of priests) were passing by and when they saw the man who had been attacked by the robbers and lying on the ground, they simply passed by on the other side of the road and continued on their way without doing anything.
At that moment, a Samaritan, who was despised by the Jews, happened to be passing by.
The Samaritan treated the man's wounds, put him on his donkey, and took him to an inn, even giving the innkeeper money to look after him.
The man who was attacked by robbers was a Jew, and by right, his fellow Jews, the priests and Levites, should have come to his aid, but they did not.
There are many possible reasons why the priests and Levites did not help the man, They may have thought if they had touch a dead (or dying) man, they would be defiled. But the main reason is probably that they were not able to fully empathize with the suffering of others.
We cannot fully identify with the suffering of others.
But Jesus is able to identify himself perfectly with the suffering of others.
The Samaritan who took on the man's plight after being attacked by robbers and extended a helping hand to him is a perfect example of Jesus Christ.
Why is Jesus able to empathize with us to that extent? Why is he able to empathize so deeply with the pain and sorrow of others?
The reason for this is also given in verse 15. It is because Jesus has been “tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin" (verse 15).
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was tempted just like us, even more than we are, and He endured the most severe temptations.
The suffering of a completely sinless and perfectly holy person who were put into temptation is beyond our imagination.
The Son of God, who is equal to God and was without sin, was crucified for us and at the end cried out with a loud voice, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34).
I think we have experiences where we only can cry out in pain, saying, "God, why?" Even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cried out in such pain.
Therefore, Jesus Christ can completely empathize with us humans in all the suffering, sorrow, and pain that we experience.
We have received faith that such a person is our Savior and Redeemer of sins, and we continue to confess this faith in our words and actions.
Jesus Christ, the sinless God, died on the cross to atone for our sins.
And let us continue to stand in the faith that "Christ is able to empathize with our suffering in all things."
Let's read verse 16, the last verse of today's passage.
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Today's passage ends with, "Let us approach God's throne of grace with boldness (confidence)."
How come we can approach God, in His throne, with confidence?
That is because through Jesus Christ we can trust that God will never reject us.
Because we can believe that Jesus Christ is with God and is interceding for us.
Jesus has prepared the way for us to go to the place where God is, where God is seated.
Jesus is the way. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).
To believe in Jesus Christ is to go to God through the way called Jesus. You can go to God through Christ, and God will never reject those who believe in Christ.
In God we can receive His mercy and grace.
It is not that we give God something in exchange for His mercy and grace.
Rather, if we simply believe in Christ, if we welcome Him into our hearts, and if we draw near to God through Christ, God will give us His mercy and grace freely.
In the face of such blessings, what could possibly make us hesitate?
Let us rest in the mercy and grace of God given to us through our great High Priest, His Son, Jesus Christ, and live our lives with joy and gratitude.
Let us be thankful for God's mercy, who accepts our pain, sorrow, and suffering as His own, and who always cries and grieves with us.
Prelude
Call to Worship Proverb 16:20
Hymn JBC # 40 O Thou, in whose presence
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 388 Lord, lay some soul upon my heart
Offering Scripture Hebrew 4: 14-16
Prayer
Sermon “Jesus, the High Priest”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 297 I hear the Saviour say
Doxology JBC# 673
Benediction
Postlude
Today's Bible passage (Hebrews 4:14-16) says, "Jesus Christ is the great high priest".
The priests were the people who served God as representatives of the people of Israel.
The priests also performed duties such as offering to God for the forgiveness of sins on behalf of the people and blessing the people on God's behalf.
Today's passage describes Jesus Christ as " a great high priest who has ascended into heaven; the Son of God”.
"Has ascended (going through layers of )into heaven" refers to the fact that after Jesus Christ's crucifixion, death, and resurrection, He ascended into the highest place, where He is now seated at the right hand of God.
Romans 8:34 says, "Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”
A human priest cannot meet God face to face, because no human can meet God face to face.
However, Jesus Christ is now with God the Father in heaven and still conveys our requests and prayers to God the Father on our behalf.
Because Christ is now in heaven, we are allowed to pray with faith that our prayers will be heard and that Jesus will convey our prayers and requests to God.
Jesus Christ, God who became man, descended to the lowest place among men, to where we humans dwell.
Why did God become man like that? Why did God come down to the lowest place among us? And why did God have to go to the cross?
The Bible tells us that our sins have been forgiven because Jesus Christ died on the cross.
Christians always remember this, are thankful, and live their lives giving thanks to God for forgiving our sins and giving us new life.
God had no need or obligation to come to this world as Jesus Christ to forgive our sins. That’s because we humans have chosen to live apart from God by ourselves.
God could have saved us or not save us, but the God of love chose to become a human being and reveal himself to us, because that is how much God loves us.
The fact that God became a human being was a miraculous event in which God's love was clearly and visibly demonstrated. Through Jesus, God showed us, "Here is love. Here is salvation."
Jesus was born as a human being to Joseph and Mary, and lived in a village called Nazareth in the region of Israel called Galilee until he was about 30 years old.
It seems that Jesus took over the work of his father Joseph, who was a carpenter, and worked as a carpenter himself. This became a stumbling block for people when Jesus preached about the kingdom of God to them.
In Gospel of Mark Ch.6, we read about when Jesus began to teach about the kingdom of God in the synagogue of his hometown. The people were amazed at what he was teaching.
But some people refused to accept Jesus' great teachings, saying that He was the carpenter and that He was the son of Mary and that they knew His brothers, too.
They may have thought, "There is no way that the carpenter's son, someone from a family we know well, could have such great teachings."
The people who stumbled on Jesus at that time represent our tendency to place more importance on external, non-essential things, such as where a person comes from or what they look like, rather than on who they are and what they have to say or do.
It is very significant for us that Jesus grew up in Galilee as a carpenter's son and a laborer.
This means that Jesus Himself experienced the difficulty, hardship, and challenges that come with working every day.
Working can give you a sense of purpose and the joy of contributing to society, but I think it's hard to earn a living by working every day.
I believe that there are people who suffer hardships in their daily work, who experience things not going as they planned, and who feel overwhelmed.
Our Lord Jesus Christ also experienced the hardships of daily work and labor, so we can trust that He truly knows and understands us.
Jesus is always with us because He Himself has experienced the difficulties of work and the difficulties of daily life.
Today's verse 15 reads:
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
Jesus can empathize with our deepest hearts, our pain, and our sorrow.
Empathy here means "to genuinely worry along with another person and to accept their sadness and suffering as your own."
We humans cannot have that much compassion for anyone other than ourselves, but Jesus can.
In Luke 10, we find the story of "The Parable of the Good Samaritan."
When an expert in law asked Jesus, "How can I inherit eternal life?" Jesus told him the following parable:
A man was traveling and he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
The priests and the Levites (who also performed the role of priests) were passing by and when they saw the man who had been attacked by the robbers and lying on the ground, they simply passed by on the other side of the road and continued on their way without doing anything.
At that moment, a Samaritan, who was despised by the Jews, happened to be passing by.
The Samaritan treated the man's wounds, put him on his donkey, and took him to an inn, even giving the innkeeper money to look after him.
The man who was attacked by robbers was a Jew, and by right, his fellow Jews, the priests and Levites, should have come to his aid, but they did not.
There are many possible reasons why the priests and Levites did not help the man, They may have thought if they had touch a dead (or dying) man, they would be defiled. But the main reason is probably that they were not able to fully empathize with the suffering of others.
We cannot fully identify with the suffering of others.
But Jesus is able to identify himself perfectly with the suffering of others.
The Samaritan who took on the man's plight after being attacked by robbers and extended a helping hand to him is a perfect example of Jesus Christ.
Why is Jesus able to empathize with us to that extent? Why is he able to empathize so deeply with the pain and sorrow of others?
The reason for this is also given in verse 15. It is because Jesus has been “tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin" (verse 15).
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was tempted just like us, even more than we are, and He endured the most severe temptations.
The suffering of a completely sinless and perfectly holy person who were put into temptation is beyond our imagination.
The Son of God, who is equal to God and was without sin, was crucified for us and at the end cried out with a loud voice, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34).
I think we have experiences where we only can cry out in pain, saying, "God, why?" Even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cried out in such pain.
Therefore, Jesus Christ can completely empathize with us humans in all the suffering, sorrow, and pain that we experience.
We have received faith that such a person is our Savior and Redeemer of sins, and we continue to confess this faith in our words and actions.
Jesus Christ, the sinless God, died on the cross to atone for our sins.
And let us continue to stand in the faith that "Christ is able to empathize with our suffering in all things."
Let's read verse 16, the last verse of today's passage.
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Today's passage ends with, "Let us approach God's throne of grace with boldness (confidence)."
How come we can approach God, in His throne, with confidence?
That is because through Jesus Christ we can trust that God will never reject us.
Because we can believe that Jesus Christ is with God and is interceding for us.
Jesus has prepared the way for us to go to the place where God is, where God is seated.
Jesus is the way. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).
To believe in Jesus Christ is to go to God through the way called Jesus. You can go to God through Christ, and God will never reject those who believe in Christ.
In God we can receive His mercy and grace.
It is not that we give God something in exchange for His mercy and grace.
Rather, if we simply believe in Christ, if we welcome Him into our hearts, and if we draw near to God through Christ, God will give us His mercy and grace freely.
In the face of such blessings, what could possibly make us hesitate?
Let us rest in the mercy and grace of God given to us through our great High Priest, His Son, Jesus Christ, and live our lives with joy and gratitude.
Let us be thankful for God's mercy, who accepts our pain, sorrow, and suffering as His own, and who always cries and grieves with us.
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Sunday Worship Service March 2, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Isaiah 46:4 b
Hymn JBC # 493 God sent His Son
The Prayer Time
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 388 Lord, lay some soul upon my heart
Offering
Scripture 1 Timothy 1:12～17
Prayer
Sermon “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 255 Face to face with Christ, my Saviour
Doxology JBC # 673
Benediction
Postlude
Our scripture today is from the New Testament’s ‘1st Timothy.’
The Letters to Timothy (I and II) are letters believed to be written by the evangelist Paul to his protégé (disciple) Timothy.
Timothy was from a region called Galatia (located in present-day Turkey), and his mother was a Jew and his father was a Greek, according to the 16th chapter of ‘Acts.’
In 1 Timothy 1:2, we read, “To Timothy my true son in the faith.” These words indicate that Paul had a special affection for Timothy, even though he was not related to him by blood.
Even though they were not blood relatives, through the grace of Jesus Christ, Paul and Timothy were father and son (parent and child) through faith.
In the church, we too are invited into a familial relationship through faith that transcends blood relationships.
By the grace of Christ, we have been invited into fellowship with the Church. Through Christ, we have been made children of God.
What a great joy it is to be made children of God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ, through His grace, invites us into His church. Therefore let us build strong relationships as a family of faith and accept each other as we are.
Verse12 from today's passage says the following.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.
Here we are told, first of all, that “one is strengthened by Jesus Christ.” Paul himself has felt and experienced Christ giving him strength throughout his life as a believer.
The strength that comes from Jesus Christ is not our own strength, but the power of Christ who lives in us. It is also the love of Christ.
It is the reassurance that even though we are weak, we can be strong in any situation thanks to Christ who lives in us.
In his letter to the Philippians, the same Paul writes the following. It is a bit long, but I will quote from Philippians 4:11-13.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Everything is possible for me, Paul says, through the One (Jesus Christ) who gives him strength at all times.
This does not mean that we should put up with any unfavorable circumstances without complaints.
If someone is being treated unfairly, discriminated against, enduring prejudice, etc., then of course that situation must be corrected.
We, the church of Christ, must be close to, support, and pray for those who are being treated unfairly and are vulnerable.
However, it can happen that people suffer in situations that are not anyone's fault and that we have no control over. For example, a person may suddenly become ill or suffer an unexpected accident.
At such times, what should one rely on?
The Bible tells us that God gives us strength to live. And when we don’t have strength to walk ourselves, Christ will carry us.
In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 46, verses 3-4, it says
you whom I have upheld since your birth,
and have carried since you were born.
Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
This is the eternal promise given to us by God. This promise, “I (God) will carry you, bear you, and deliver you,” has been fulfilled through our Savior Jesus Christ.
And Christ still bears us, carries us, and delivers us to this day.
There exists a God who walks together with us through every circumstance, and who carries us when we do not have strength to walk by ourselves, or when we fall.
Let us remember this and give thanks to God as we live our lives.
Let's go back to the first half of verse 12 again.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength,
Paul says that the “One who has strengthened me” is our Lord Jesus Christ.
This God who has strengthened him is not his God alone, but OUR Lord, the Lord of all humanity.
There is the idea that “faith is personal.” In a sense, that is true. God has a personal relationship with each of us.
However, faith in Jesus Christ cannot be confined to the individual believer. Jesus Christ is not only “my Lord” but also “OUR Lord.”
We pray the Lord's Prayer together in worship. In the Lord's Prayer, we say, “Our Father who art in heaven.”
By praying and declaring “Our Father who art in heaven,” we declare that Jesus Christ is our Lord.
In other words, through the Lord's Prayer, we express our faith that Christ is the Lord and Savior of the world, even of those who are not believers.
By praying, "Our Father, who art in heaven," it is revealed to us that "my Father" is actually "our Father." This transforms us, enabling us to transcend our own needs and become able to pray for others.
We all share in the joy of believing and praying that “there is a Father for us, a Father for all” in the Church.
Let us be a church where everyone feels the joy of being a member of this community of faith (family) through praying together to “Our Father”.
Let’s look at verse 15. This verse is also the title of today’s message.
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
Here is a truth that we simply must accept. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
Jesus himself said the following while He was alive on earth. Jesus ate with those who were called sinners.
Some people asked Jesus, “Why do you eat with sinners?” Everyone, think about this for a moment. The people who asked Jesus this question do not actually consider themselves sinners.
Jesus answered them.
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)
Jesus Christ came into our world to invite and to save sinners. God Himself became man and came into our world for the salvation of sinners.
The Bible also tells us that “There is no one righteous, not even one;” (Romans 3:10)
Some may hate it when the Bible condemns people for being sinners this, sinners that. But we are still forced to confront our sins when we are truly honest with ourselves.
We live while weighed down by sins that we cannot get rid of by ourselves. But the Bible says, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
The Bible tells us emphatically that there is One who takes away sin and shows us the way to a life of joy.
Salvation is found in Jesus Christ, and no one is excluded from His salvation. Whether or not we believe in this salvation and walk in it is up to us.
The biblical news that there is forgiveness of sins despite us all being sinners is the most joyful news. That is our “good news”―the gospel.
Another truth that we must accept besides that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” is that “there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ.”
In the book of ‘Acts’, chapter 4, verse 12, we read Peter, who was preaching about the resurrected Jesus, said these words when he was being interrogated by the assembly.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
“Salvation is found in no one else.” Salvation cannot be obtained by anyone or anything other than Jesus Christ.
Today's passage, and the Bible as a whole, asserts that this is true and deserves to be accepted as is.
No Christian, and no real Christian church, can compromise on the point of salvation through Christ and that there is no salvation for man except through Him.
If we compromise on this in any way, it renders meaningless the death of the One who laid down His life on the cross for us.
And by compromising, we also throw away the grace that was given to us through the cross.
Nothing would grieve our Heavenly Father more than giving up the saving grace that Jesus Christ, His Son, gave us in exchange for His life.
Let us firmly grasp the salvation and eternal grace given to us by Jesus, and walk together on the path of salvation, and continue telling the world about this salvation.
Let us continue to stand on the Word of Jesus Christ, on the words of the Bible, on the Word of God, on its truth, and let us encourage one another with the Word and live out our faith.
Prelude
Call to Worship Isaiah 46:4 b
Hymn JBC # 493 God sent His Son
The Prayer Time
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 388 Lord, lay some soul upon my heart
Offering
Scripture 1 Timothy 1:12～17
Prayer
Sermon “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 255 Face to face with Christ, my Saviour
Doxology JBC # 673
Benediction
Postlude
Our scripture today is from the New Testament’s ‘1st Timothy.’
The Letters to Timothy (I and II) are letters believed to be written by the evangelist Paul to his protégé (disciple) Timothy.
Timothy was from a region called Galatia (located in present-day Turkey), and his mother was a Jew and his father was a Greek, according to the 16th chapter of ‘Acts.’
In 1 Timothy 1:2, we read, “To Timothy my true son in the faith.” These words indicate that Paul had a special affection for Timothy, even though he was not related to him by blood.
Even though they were not blood relatives, through the grace of Jesus Christ, Paul and Timothy were father and son (parent and child) through faith.
In the church, we too are invited into a familial relationship through faith that transcends blood relationships.
By the grace of Christ, we have been invited into fellowship with the Church. Through Christ, we have been made children of God.
What a great joy it is to be made children of God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ, through His grace, invites us into His church. Therefore let us build strong relationships as a family of faith and accept each other as we are.
Verse12 from today's passage says the following.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.
Here we are told, first of all, that “one is strengthened by Jesus Christ.” Paul himself has felt and experienced Christ giving him strength throughout his life as a believer.
The strength that comes from Jesus Christ is not our own strength, but the power of Christ who lives in us. It is also the love of Christ.
It is the reassurance that even though we are weak, we can be strong in any situation thanks to Christ who lives in us.
In his letter to the Philippians, the same Paul writes the following. It is a bit long, but I will quote from Philippians 4:11-13.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Everything is possible for me, Paul says, through the One (Jesus Christ) who gives him strength at all times.
This does not mean that we should put up with any unfavorable circumstances without complaints.
If someone is being treated unfairly, discriminated against, enduring prejudice, etc., then of course that situation must be corrected.
We, the church of Christ, must be close to, support, and pray for those who are being treated unfairly and are vulnerable.
However, it can happen that people suffer in situations that are not anyone's fault and that we have no control over. For example, a person may suddenly become ill or suffer an unexpected accident.
At such times, what should one rely on?
The Bible tells us that God gives us strength to live. And when we don’t have strength to walk ourselves, Christ will carry us.
In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 46, verses 3-4, it says
you whom I have upheld since your birth,
and have carried since you were born.
Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
This is the eternal promise given to us by God. This promise, “I (God) will carry you, bear you, and deliver you,” has been fulfilled through our Savior Jesus Christ.
And Christ still bears us, carries us, and delivers us to this day.
There exists a God who walks together with us through every circumstance, and who carries us when we do not have strength to walk by ourselves, or when we fall.
Let us remember this and give thanks to God as we live our lives.
Let's go back to the first half of verse 12 again.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength,
Paul says that the “One who has strengthened me” is our Lord Jesus Christ.
This God who has strengthened him is not his God alone, but OUR Lord, the Lord of all humanity.
There is the idea that “faith is personal.” In a sense, that is true. God has a personal relationship with each of us.
However, faith in Jesus Christ cannot be confined to the individual believer. Jesus Christ is not only “my Lord” but also “OUR Lord.”
We pray the Lord's Prayer together in worship. In the Lord's Prayer, we say, “Our Father who art in heaven.”
By praying and declaring “Our Father who art in heaven,” we declare that Jesus Christ is our Lord.
In other words, through the Lord's Prayer, we express our faith that Christ is the Lord and Savior of the world, even of those who are not believers.
By praying, "Our Father, who art in heaven," it is revealed to us that "my Father" is actually "our Father." This transforms us, enabling us to transcend our own needs and become able to pray for others.
We all share in the joy of believing and praying that “there is a Father for us, a Father for all” in the Church.
Let us be a church where everyone feels the joy of being a member of this community of faith (family) through praying together to “Our Father”.
Let’s look at verse 15. This verse is also the title of today’s message.
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
Here is a truth that we simply must accept. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
Jesus himself said the following while He was alive on earth. Jesus ate with those who were called sinners.
Some people asked Jesus, “Why do you eat with sinners?” Everyone, think about this for a moment. The people who asked Jesus this question do not actually consider themselves sinners.
Jesus answered them.
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)
Jesus Christ came into our world to invite and to save sinners. God Himself became man and came into our world for the salvation of sinners.
The Bible also tells us that “There is no one righteous, not even one;” (Romans 3:10)
Some may hate it when the Bible condemns people for being sinners this, sinners that. But we are still forced to confront our sins when we are truly honest with ourselves.
We live while weighed down by sins that we cannot get rid of by ourselves. But the Bible says, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
The Bible tells us emphatically that there is One who takes away sin and shows us the way to a life of joy.
Salvation is found in Jesus Christ, and no one is excluded from His salvation. Whether or not we believe in this salvation and walk in it is up to us.
The biblical news that there is forgiveness of sins despite us all being sinners is the most joyful news. That is our “good news”―the gospel.
Another truth that we must accept besides that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” is that “there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ.”
In the book of ‘Acts’, chapter 4, verse 12, we read Peter, who was preaching about the resurrected Jesus, said these words when he was being interrogated by the assembly.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
“Salvation is found in no one else.” Salvation cannot be obtained by anyone or anything other than Jesus Christ.
Today's passage, and the Bible as a whole, asserts that this is true and deserves to be accepted as is.
No Christian, and no real Christian church, can compromise on the point of salvation through Christ and that there is no salvation for man except through Him.
If we compromise on this in any way, it renders meaningless the death of the One who laid down His life on the cross for us.
And by compromising, we also throw away the grace that was given to us through the cross.
Nothing would grieve our Heavenly Father more than giving up the saving grace that Jesus Christ, His Son, gave us in exchange for His life.
Let us firmly grasp the salvation and eternal grace given to us by Jesus, and walk together on the path of salvation, and continue telling the world about this salvation.
Let us continue to stand on the Word of Jesus Christ, on the words of the Bible, on the Word of God, on its truth, and let us encourage one another with the Word and live out our faith.
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